On Running dropped the “Running” and became On a few years ago — it’s cleaner — in a prudent play to become an open-ended performance label.
It made sense: the Swiss brand counted Roger Federer as one of its early investors, and leveraged the legend’s influence to leapfrog into the tennis sector. The logo’s been gaining steam on tour ever since, and now adorns the match-day kits of Ben Shelton, Iga Świątek and Flavio Cobolli, with a number of promising prospects waiting in the wings.
The pivot also gifted On some breathing room to scratch its streetwear itch. The brand has now collaborated with Loewe, Zendaya and FKA Twigs, carving out legit cultural cachet beyond the track or tennis court. All that to say, some of On’s latest garments and footwear exist in an amorphous in-between — they’d get the job done for a variety of activities, and look good in a variety of contexts.
Meet the Court Jacket
That certainly applies to the brand’s new Court Jacket, which, as the name suggests, is probably meant for tennis on a crisp day, though I have defiantly been using it as my new go-to running jacket. Yes, I am aware that On makes running-specific jackets, but I’m a creature of habit, and this number earned its wings on a windy Sunday six-miler. It fits my torso perfectly and the top of the zipper doesn’t bounce off my Adam’s apple (a surprisingly common issue among running jackets).
I also like the wooshiness (not a real word, don’t Google it) of this jacket. The combination of the mesh interior and iridiscent exterior reminds me of the shiny, noisy windbreakers I grew up with in the 2000s. Apparently Gen Z and Millennials are currently arguing about tightness versus bagginess in workout uniforms. That seems like an odd thing to invest too much energy into, given the state of the world, but I’d submit this jacket as a worthy middle ground. It’s a relaxed fit that still carries the hallmarks of well-made performance wear.
Obviously, I don’t care what you do with this jacket. Play tennis in it. Go eat some scrambies in it. I’ve been running in mine, which feels a little ironic — but also perfectly on-brand. On isn’t making gear for any one thing anymore. It’s building pieces that move between sport and life, without missing a beat.
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